Biojet fuel producer AltAir Fuels achieves RSB certification

AltAir Fuels, a 40 MMgy biojet fuel production facility in Paramount, California, has been certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials to produce biojet fuel, renewable diesel and naphtha. AltAir Fuels has been a member of the RSB since 2014. The company is now an RSB certified operator, part of a select group that applies the RSB Global Standard to guide development of sustainable sources of biofuel.

RSB says its certification scheme is a preference for many of the world’s airlines, particularly a group of 27—the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group—representing a third of global aviation fuel use. SAFUG members have pledged to achieve RSB or equivalent certification. The Natural Resources Defense Council has also issued a recent report encouraging airlines to purchase certified-sustainable biofuels and recommended the RSB framework.

The certification of products such as AltAir’s biojet fuel is congruent with the sustainable bioeconomy championed by RSB and, according to the certification organization, will contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions in the aviation sector. RSB is a peer-reviewed member body active in the bioeconomy promoting bioproducts to enhance rural development, reduce GHG emissions and promote food security.

“AltAir has demonstrated that the aviation sector can reduce GHG emissions while meeting the highest standards of sustainability and transparency,” said Rolf Hogan, RSB’s executive director.

According to RSB, AltAir’s Paramount facility is the world’s first renewable fuels refinery with integrated jet fuel production capability. Since January 2016, AltAir has been the only refiner to continually produce biojet for commercial use.

“From inception, AltAir has pledged to its customers a pursuit of the highest standards of sustainability,” said AltAir Co-Founder and President Bryan Sherbacow. “By achieving RSB certification, we now have third-party verification of field to wing or tank GHG reduction of at least 60 percent. These measurable results ensure that AltAir customers and their stakeholders are meeting their respective sustainability targets.”

Angela Foster-Rice, United Airlines’ managing director of environmental affairs and sustainability, said, “As a user of AltAir Fuels, we celebrate the RSB certification of the Paramount facility. United Airlines is committed to the commercialization of sustainable aviation fuels and we applaud this achievement.”